Russia steps in Armenian crisis

Protest actions did not stop after PM Sarkisyan's resignation.

Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Armen Guevorkiyan visited Moscow on Thursday for "consultation work". Likewise, Armenian Foreign Minister Edouard Nalbandiyan is also having talks in Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a telephone conversation on Wednesday with his Armenian counterpart, Armen Sarkisyan, had called on “all political forces to show responsibility”. 

Opposition parliamentarian Nikol Pashiniyan, who led the protest campaign, was met on Wednesday at the Russian embassy in Yerevan.

"The Russian side called the organisers of the protest actions to have a constructive dialogue with the existing authorities and other political forces," the Russian embassy said in a written statement. The embassy stated that the situation in Armenia can only be solved within the constitutional framework.

After 11 days of protests in the streets of the country, Armenian Prime Minister Serj Sarkisyan had to resign on Monday. Russia was happy to simply observe the situation during the first stage of protests, saying that this was Armenia's internal issue.

But protest actions did not stop after Sarkisyan's resignation. The activists were preparing to block the streets of Yerevan this Thursday.

Pashiniyan is expected to present his candidacy for the post of Prime Minister in the coming days.

The opposition wanted Sarkisyan to step down as they claim that the constitution of Armenia prevented Sarkisyan from being President for more than two mandates.

A reform in 2015, has increased the powers of the Prime Minister while reducing the powers of the President, whose role has been reduced to the protocol level. Following this controversial reform, people have reacted to the nomination of Sarkisyan who continued to remain in power as Prime Minister.

The opposition claims that during the presidency of Sarkisyan, poverty and corruption have not been reduced and that indeed the oligarchs continue to dominate the country's economy.